Ask Dr. Tarman – I’d Like To Be On A Diet But I Can’t

Question:

I’d like to be on a diet, but I can’t.

Answer

Nearly one third to one half of the population is on a diet at any given time. Not surprisingly, this reflects the levels of obesity in the population. Only one third of the population is actually of normal weight. The diet industry, with its commercial weight loss programs, medications and surgery combined, constitutes 3% of the overall US economy.

The success of such an expensive endeavour that so many of us are doing? Statistics claim that 95% of people who diet to lose weight put it back within three years.

So, you are very wise not to diet. It usually doesn’t work for the person trying it, though it does work for the many who are offering yet the next latest gadget on how to loose weight. Someone is benefiting and it likely won’t be you. Keep following your good sense. You have saved yourself years of anguish, frustration and despair.

The way to loose weight successfully is to try to tackle the behaviour or the mind set that is leading to the weight gain. Are you eating compulsively? Are you eating foods that you know are problematic but you cant seem to stop? Are you tormenting yourself with your eating and your increasing weight gain? This struggle is what needs to be addressed. If this is sorted out, the weight drops off – as a by product of your attempt to heal the wound that food or compulsive eating is attempting to salve.

If this struggle and it’s ensuing pain has not happened, then your food and eating is still working for you – still giving you more pleasure than pain. In my experience, it requires more than a desire to loose weight to be successful. It requires a need to change but the person just cant stand their life anymore – the mentalMental status tests
Mental retardationobsession and the lifestyle of having their day revolved around eating or food. The people that I have seen keep weight off are the ones who stopped eating problematically because they need to change, because they wanted peace of mind.

It is very hard to stop something, anything, even if it is causing you griefGrief. It is much easier to do something different (like eating healthy) if you have a desirable goal that promises better than what you are giving up. Weight loss takes too long to be a good motivator, the desert will beckon and trip you up in a flash – hence diets that focus on weight loss are sure to fail. The goal of freedom from obsession, of isolation, of shame are much more powerful motivators. Do you want these enough yet? I believe that is the real question.

If yes, then you need to determine what are the obstacles between you and your own good sense about what to do next? I trust that you already know what to do. Look to these obstacles, and the weight will just take care of itself.